GAINESVILLE, FL (352today.com) – Gainesville’s Dance Alive National Ballet, an organization founded as a local dance ensemble in 1966 that has since grown into a nonprofit professional company dedicated to education, outreach and sustaining the art form, will be holding open auditions for its 61st season on Saturday, Aug. 15, 2026.

The auditions will be for spots in DANB’s main company, its youth program/ensemble Next Generation, and supporting roles in the organization’s annual production of “The Nutcracker,” which is scheduled for December.

The first auditions of the day will be for the youngest dancers with some ballet experience, for roles as Soldiers, Party Children, Franz’s Friends and Mice in “The Nutcracker,” as well as for Next Generation.

These auditions are broken down by age group:

  • 12:30-1:15 p.m. – ages 7-8
  • 1:30-2:15 p.m. – ages 9-10
  • 2:15-3:15 p.m. – ages 11-13

The second portion of the auditions will be for slightly older, more experienced ballet dancers and jazz dancers who could be “on the bubble” between Next Generation and Dance Alive:

  • 3:30-4:15 p.m. – ages 11-14 (ballet dancers must be 2nd year pointe as of Aug. 2025)
  • 4:30-5:15 p.m. – ages 12-17 (ballet dancers must be 3rd year point as of Aug. 2025)

The final auditions of the day will be for tumblers ages 7-18 who can handle back handsprings, splits, headstands, front and back walkovers and aerial tricks. These auditions will be held from 5:30 until 6 p.m.

Those who wish to audition must pay a $25 entry fee at the time of audition. Checks can be made payable to Dance Alive National Ballet.

The Auditions will be held at DANB’s Pofahl Studios (named for DANB founder Mary Ellen Pofahl) at 1325 NW 2nd St., Gainesville.

Call 352-371-2986 or email kim@dancealive.org for more information.